Shopping was needed in Narbonne so we left at 22 degrees and headed off for the coast. Birding first so we went to Mandirac and tried the coastal lagoons and reedbeds. It was a good decision and the first bird seen was a Gull-billed Tern flying across the road. Checking out the lagoons there were 5 Lapwing, Greenshank and 2 Little Ringed Plovers. Towards the rear of the open water a pair of Spoonbills fed quietly with a Black-winged Stilt.
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| Spoonbills feeding |
We drove on further down the road and before turning got out of the car to watch 17 Pink-backed Pelicans soaring overhead. This is a feral species locally and this is certainly the largest number I have seen at one time.
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| Pink-backed Pelicans - part of flock of 17 |
Leaving the area we stopped to watch a Black Tern feeding on a saline pool and were fortunate to pick out 2 Bluethroats and a Great Reed Warbler in the surrounding reeds.
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| Great Reed Warbler |
It was now getting quite warm so we moved on to check the wet meadows at Le Petit Tournabelle. Two White Storks were obvious with the usual scattering of Little and Cattle Egrets but also 3 Juvenile Purple Herons and 2 Glossy Ibis.
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| Juvenile Purple Heron |
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| Glossy Ibis |
Eventually one of the Glossy Ibis settled in an extraordinary pose apparently warming its plumage.
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| Glossy Ibis "sunning" itself |
By now the heat was pretty unbearable and we did our shopping and returned home to find the temperature was 36 degrees.
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